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Research Triangle Park, North
Carolina; Memphis, Tennessee; Calgary, Alberta; Oak Hammock
Marsh, Manitoba
January 13, 2009
Bayer CropScience
and Ducks Unlimited believe
winter wheat has an important role to play in sustainable
agriculture on the prairies and have joined forces to launch a
North American project called “Winter Cereals: Sustainability in
Action.”
“By working with Ducks Unlimited, we want to expand the practice
of growing winter cereals across the prairies in Canada and the
United States,” says Bill Buckner, head of North America and
President and CEO of Bayer CropScience LP. “We recognize winter
wheat is an excellent crop that provides economic advantages to
growers when included in cropping rotations while also enhancing
waterfowl and other wildlife habitats.”
Partnering with Ducks Unlimited under the “Winter Cereals:
Sustainability in Action” program, Bayer CropScience will make a
commitment of $20 million over five years to:
- Enable significant
research to develop new winter wheat varieties adapted to
prairie climatic conditions while providing grower
incentives, technical support and education programs;
- Promote improvements and
research in agronomic practices; and
- Conduct waterfowl and
environmental research to ensure a sustainable habitat and
production system.
"As leaders in the agriculture
industry we see this initiative as an important and tangible
part of delivering on our commitment to sustainable
agriculture,” says Buckner.
Winter wheat has gained a foothold on North American’s prairies
with growers. New varieties, improved marketing options and the
agronomic advantages provided by winter wheat have made it an
attractive choice for many growers.
“The goal of Ducks Unlimited and Bayer CropScience in this
initiative is to support this trend by investing in innovations
and grower programs,” he says.
From a waterfowl conservation standpoint, one of the key
limiting factors for continental waterfowl populations is a lack
of nesting cover on the prairies. Ducks Unlimited Canada’s
research has shown that the density of hatched nests in winter
wheat fields is 24 times greater than in spring wheat.
“This partnership between Bayer CropScience and Ducks Unlimited
has the potential to provide unprecedented opportunities for
expanding winter wheat on the prairies,” said Don Young,
Executive Vice President of Ducks Unlimited. “This is research
that will not only benefit Ducks Unlimited waterfowl
conservation and habitat efforts in the Prairie Pothole Region
in Canada and the U.S., but also provide tremendous advantages
to agricultural communities.”
From an agronomic perspective, winter wheat provides economic
advantages to producers when included in cropping rotations.
Winter wheat can yield 10 to 30 percent higher than
spring-seeded varieties, and autumn planting allows growers to
spread their workload thus reducing potential production risks.
“Partnering with Bayer CropScience is a great example of how a
sustainable vision for the agricultural landscape includes both
profitable agriculture and habitat conservation,” says Jeff
Nelson, Ducks Unlimited Canada’s Executive Vice President.
“Ducks Unlimited Canada is dedicated to working with farmers and
the agricultural industry to find pragmatic approaches to
waterfowl habitat conservation.”
More information on Bayer CropScience/Ducks Unlimited “Winter
Cereals: Sustainability in Action” initiative will be available
at the following tradeshows and media events.
U.S.:
Jan. 15-17: The Shot Show, Orlando, Florida
Jan. 28-30: KMOT Ag Expo, Minot, North Dakota
Feb. 18-19: International Crop Expo, Grand Forks, North Dakota
Feb. 23-24: Ag Issues Forum, Grapevine, Texas
Feb. 26-28: Commodity Classic, Grapevine, Texas
Canada:
Jan: 12-15: Crop Production Show, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Jan. 20-22: Manitoba Ag Days, Brandon, Manitoba
Jan. 28-30: Farm Tech, Edmonton, Alberta
Feb. 11-12: Saskatchewan Soil, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Feb. 17-19: Manitoba North Dakota Zero Tillage Farmers
Association Annual Meeting, Brandon, Manitoba |
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